Starshine, Sky, and the Power of Rock

Questions

Skylar doesn't say anything for an unbearable amount of time. I bookmark the page I'm on and begin packing away the books as if they're nothing of concern. She just watches me in horrible silence.

Perhaps I can divert her attention. "I thought you liked animals enough to be vegetarian," I say with feigned casualness. "Now you're wearing dragon skin?"

"It's fake," she says.

"Oh," is all I say back. I zip up my suitcase and slide it back under my bed. Then I lay back down like nothing happened.

Skylar stares at me for a bit longer then retreats to the bathroom to get ready for bed. When she's finally out I'm pretending to sleep. Her footsteps are slow, amplified. The ba-bump ba-bump ba-bump of my heart pounds in my ears. Is she getting closer? She's getting closer! I'm hyperaware of every sound now, which only emphasizes the fact that I can't hear her breathing. She isn't alive. She doesn't have a soul. She lacks the compassion to keep my oddities a secret. Come tomorrow I'm sure she'll have told her friends about my fascination with the macabre and my sisters will end my social life right then and-

"First the fake arm and now this?"

I involuntarily twitch from surprise.

"I knew it. You're awake," she says.

I sigh and sit up, pushing my sleep mask away from my eyes. I can't stand to look at her, so I stare at my knees instead.

"What else do you have going on, huh?" she asks. "Why do I only learn interesting things about you when you don't want me to?"

"If you tell anyone about this..." I say, my voice quavering.

"You'll what?"

I shake my head. "Please..."

She chuckles softly. "Come on, you don't really think I'd do that. I haven't told anyone about your arm, have I? I mean, I get close every time you give me crap but I haven't gone through with it."

"Skylar, I'm serious."

"What? What'll happen if people find out you have..." she glances at my nightstand, where I accidentally left Final Kiss. "... good taste in books?"

I look at her. Her hair sits in a tangled white bun just above her shoulders and her form is concealed by an oversized tee that looks like it's on its third or fourth owner. "Maybe it's hard for someone who can't hide how much of a freak she is to comprehend, but I actually know what being normal feels like and I'm not interested in going back to the alternative."

Skylar raises an eyebrow, arms crossed. "I'd hardly call a fake arm and liking horror enough to make you a freak."

"Well, freakishness is relative," I say. "The Glade bloodline is renowned for our dedication to protecting the kingdom from creatures of the night. You know how horrified my family was when they learned I found them interesting?"

"So they know then?"

I shake my head. "They think it's all in the past. A few years back I learned to keep things like that to myself if I wanted my family to..." I trail off. Skylar tilts her head, curious. Or is she just fishing for information on me? "Why am I telling you this?"

Skylar puts her hands up and walks over to her casket. "Hey, if you don't wanna tell me it's fine."

"Oh, your stupid reverse psychology isn't working on me, vampire."

"I'm not using reverse psychology, I just realized I was prying," she says, grabbing her CD player and climbing in. "Look, I'll keep your secret, okay? Unlike you I actually know how to do that."